In the Face of Death
by GayceVentura
Summary: He couldn't breath, his lungs felt like they were collapsing in his chest. The world spun around him, and his body was shaking. He couldn't think. The walls were closing in on him, and he had to get out. Wyatt stood up shakily and let out a deafening, heartbreaking howl. He knew everyone around could hear him, but no one came.


Wyatt didn't know what to do. Willa was nowhere to be found, and his parents were dying. His sister had stormed out of the den after their father had told her she had to take over as pack alpha. She was adamant that her father wouldn't die, but everyone knew better. Out of the whole pack, the twin's parents were the worst off. They had taken the brunt of everyone's pain where they could, and that had worn down their own stones.

The young wolf gripped his mother's hand, as she fell into another coughing fit. Her moonstone had been dimming over the past few weeks, and it was almost non-existent now. His father was in a fitful slumber, tossing and turning, as his necklace glowed yellow. Wyatt felt powerless as they laid there dying.

Wyatt's face was marred with dried tears. He had stopped crying hours ago, and he wasn't sure if he physically could anymore. His chest and throat hurt from his sobs, his eyes were bloodshot. He knew he should be strong, he was the pack's new beta, but he couldn't in the face of death. He wasn't as strong as he wanted them to believe.

His head jerked up when he heard his father struggle to breath. Rushing to the older man's side of the bed, Wyatt floundered. How could he help his father breath easier? He put his ear to his father's chest, and heard slow, weak beats. And then suddenly, nothing. Jumping back, Wyatt stared at his father in horror.

No. This couldn't be happening, Wyatt thought to himself. His dad couldn't be dead. And where the fuck was Willa? He rushed back to his dad's side and started pounding on his chest, in a failed attempt at CPR. He couldn't think straight, his mind was racing a million miles a minute.

He gave up after a few minutes of struggling, falling to his knees and resting his head on his father's chest. The older wolf had already started to go cold. The tears returned, and a guttural sob escaped his mouth. He gripped his father's shirt and begged him to wake up, pleading for this to be a dream.

A soft voice came from his left. Through blurry eyes, he could see his mother weakly reach out for him. He rushed around the bed once more to grasp her hand in his. He could barely see through his tears, but he could tell his mother had a soft smile on her face. She pulled him down, and gave him one last kiss on the head.

Wyatt felt her hand go slack in his, and his whole world collapsed in on him. He let go of his mother's hand, and watched it fall to her side limply. He backed up, farther and farther until his back hit the cave wall. He slid down the wall in a heap, not able to control his movements anymore.

He couldn't breath, his lungs felt like they were collapsing in his chest. The world spun around him, and his body was shaking. He couldn't think. The walls were closing in on him, and he had to get out. Wyatt stood up shakily and let out a deafening, heartbreaking howl. He knew everyone around could hear him, but no one came. They knew better, as they could feel the pack dynamic split when his parents died.

He ran out of the den, crashing into anything that stood in his way. He couldn't see, couldn't focus. He just kept running. Trees rushed by him, blurring with his speed. He couldn't stop, he could only go. His mind was running as well, thinking of nothing and everything at the same time. He didn't feel anything he ran into, didn't feel the cuts and bruises he got. The only thing he felt was anguish and anger. He lost his parents, and his sister wasn't there.

Something hard hit him, or he hit something hard, and they both slammed to the ground. Glancing up, he saw his sister shaking her head. She had blood on her face, and he knew he should be worried, but all he saw was red. How could she not be there? How could she abandon him?' He glared at her and stood up.

"Dammit Wyatt, watch where you're going." Willa said, groaning from her place on the ground.

Wyatt growled at his sister, eyes glowing yellow and moonstone lighting up. Willa frowned and stood up, wiping her hands off on her jeans. "Wyatt, wait. I know how you're feeling. Let's talk about this."

"You know how I feel? YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL? How could you possibly know I feel?" Wyatt asked his sister, furious.

Willa put her hand out to her side, in a show of surrender. "Wyatt, they were my parents too." She said quietly.

"YOU WEREN'T THERE WILLA!" He screamed, his voice raw from the tears and the emotions coursing through him. His twin looked to the ground, but didn't say anything. "How could you possibly understand what I'm feeling? They died in my arms, Willa...in my arms." The boy's voice cut out, as he lost his will to fight.

Willa, not usually one to show emotion, rushed forward and pulled her brother into a tight hug. As she did, his knees gave out, and the siblings tumbled to the ground. Wyatt sobbed into his sister's furs, matting them down. Willa meanwhile spoke sweet nothings into her brother's shoulder, running her hands through his hair softly.

The boy sniffled as his sobs dried up. "Where were you Willa?" His voice cracked out.

Willa sighed sadly. "I'm sorry Wyatt. I don't handle my emotions well, you know this. I was angry, I didn't want to admit they were dying. And because of it, I wasn't there. I wasn't there for them, and I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry."

Wyatt dug his head further into his sister's furs. "I can't lose you Willa. You're all I have left."

"Wyatt, I am never going anywhere. We're going to find our moonstone, and you and I will be together forever. Don't worry, my little brother. I'll take care of you." With those last words, Willa let a single tear slip from her eye. One tear for the loss of her parents, for the loss of her childhood, and for her brother's sorrow.


End file.
